Liam Rosenior's first home match in charge of Chelsea is a blockbuster Carabao Cup semi-final clash against Premier League leaders Arsenal this Wednesday. The Blues, fresh from a 5-1 FA Cup victory over Charlton, host an Arsenal side unbeaten since early December.
Match Schedule and How to Watch
The first leg of this Carabao Cup semi-final is set for Wednesday, 14 January 2026, at Stamford Bridge. The action gets underway at 8pm GMT. For fans in the United Kingdom, the match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football. Coverage begins at 7pm.
Supporters can also stream the game online via the NOW TV service, ensuring no one misses this crucial cup tie.
Team News and Predicted Line-ups
Chelsea face several selection headaches ahead of the big game. A late decision will be made on the fitness of key players Cole Palmer and Reece James, who both missed the weekend's win. Malo Gusto also requires a late fitness test.
In a significant blow, midfielder Moises Caicedo is suspended after receiving his second yellow card in the competition during December's win at Cardiff. There is better news defensively, with Piero Hincapié, Riccardo Calafiori and Cristhian Mosquera all nearing a return.
For Arsenal, Kai Havertz made a substitute appearance against Portsmouth but a start against his former club may come too soon. Mikel Arteta otherwise has a strong squad to choose from.
Predicted Chelsea XI: Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; Fernandez, James; Estevao, Palmer, Neto; Delap.
Predicted Arsenal XI: Kepa; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli.
Form and Recent Encounters
Rosenior will be eager to build on his perfect start as Chelsea manager. Arsenal, managed by Mikel Arteta, are in formidable form, their last defeat coming against Aston Villa at the start of December. They progressed to this stage via a penalty shoot-out victory over Crystal Palace.
The last meeting between these London rivals in November ended in a 1-1 draw. Trevoh Chalobah opened the scoring for Chelsea before Mikel Merino equalised for the Gunners. That match was notably marred by a first-half red card for Chelsea's Moises Caicedo.
With a place at Wembley on the line, this first leg promises to be a tense and thrilling encounter under the lights at Stamford Bridge.
